Variax Workbench

[jgcable]

Anybody here use it with their Variax?? I am especially interested in the alternate tunings function.

[hippietim]

i've owned 4 variaxes since they were introduced. i had the workbench setup. the alternate tunings were ok so long as you are willing to process the sound. clean or dry they sound pretty bad. they warble. the 12-strings were hideous. absolutely awful.

compress them, chorus them, delay them, distort them and they're fine.

[Newc]

I liked it a lot, but yeah the alternate/open tunings weren't that great. Probably because I could still hear the acoustic tone as well as the amplified tone.

The step-down tunings were great, though. I had mine set up for all the Black Sabbath tunings (E,D,C#), and had lots of custom pickup/body/etc setups.

I may still have those files on my PC if you wanna try them.

[jgcable]

i've owned 4 variaxes since they were introduced. i had the workbench setup. the alternate tunings were ok so long as you are willing to process the sound. clean or dry they sound pretty bad. they warble. the 12-strings were hideous. absolutely awful.

compress them, chorus them, delay them, distort them and they're fine.

Tim, I have a question.
Say for instance I want to set up a Nashville tuning. Can I save it to the Variax as a preset. If I plug my Variax into my XTL or my Vetta Variax port will I be able to access my Nashville tuning preset? What if I wanted to set up a preset in standard 440 (I tune to Eb normally). What if I wanted to set up a preset that has a drop D. Could I save them to the Variax or can I only use alternate tunings through my PC??

Here is what I want to do.
I want to be able to play my Vetta live (I am getting the VDI port on Sunday) with my Variax plugged into the Vetta (or my XTL). I want to be able to access a 12 string acoustic, an acoustic with nashville tuning, a Les Paul with drop d tuning and standard Eb tuning.
I also want my Vetta or my XTL to change patches when I switch Variax positions. I also plan on having my standard electric guitar plugged into the Vetta so that I can switch back and forth from Variax to traditional electric.
From what I have read and seen online.. I think I can do all of that.
I am mostly interested in the Workbench for the alternate tuning. I love Nashville tuning.

[jgcable]

Wow... I just found out that the Variax Workbench comes free with the XTLive. Whats cooler than that!!

[hippietim]

you can do all that john. it is quite impressive in those terms. the one combo you can't do is any sort of alternate tunings on a 12-string (as that would require 2 pitch transposers per string).

the variax has a 12-way model selector knob and a 5-way "pickup" selector. this translates into 60 memory locations. you can change any and all of them with the workbench software and they can be recalled by the vetta or manually. of course, it's up to you to remember that you programmed the "T-Model" in the "neck" position to really be a Danelectro tuned to a baritone Nashville tuning.